Caught In Incertitude
by AruuYuda-ShoriKyuyu
Summary: She stumbled upon the letter once again - the promise written on water. She couldn't help remembering the events that happened those times. And upon thinking about the System's order of eliminating a certain person whom she wanted to save, she was caught in the sea of incertitude. "What if we meet again? I couldn't just kill you. But I have to..." [Random One-shot]


_AruuYuda-ShoriKyuyu: I just wanted to write something for Psycho-Pass again, which is not humorous. Haha. Forgive my poor quality of writing. *shot*_

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"_I'm sorry. I couldn't keep my promise. I wanted to go into a line of work where I could protect people. That's why I became a detective. But Makishima changed everything. That man will continue to kill people. And yet, the law can't judge him. _

"_As long as I'm a detective, I can't touch him. This case made me aware...that the law can't protect people. In that case, my only option is to step outside the law. _

"_Akane Tsunemori...There is no doubt that your way of living is correct. Don't lose sight of that just because I betrayed you. I selfishly chose a different path solely in order to get my own way. I'm aware that this is a mistake. But I know I can only come to terms with my old self by taking the wrong path. I won't say...forgive me. _

"_The next time we meet, you'll be in a position to judge me. When that time comes, fulfill your duty with no mercy. Don't turn your back on your beliefs. Although it was only for a short time, I feel fortunate that I was able to work under you. _

"_Thank you."_

Akane Tsunemori, after rereading the letters scrawled on a sheet of paper, crumpled it with her right hand. She kept an unreadable face, though the corner of her eyes stung as tears threatened to fall. She tried hard not to let them out, or her colleagues would worry.

She had been reorganizing her office desk when she stumbled upon this piece of paper that she once cried over two months ago. On impulse, even though she knew that rereading it would hurt her, she picked it up.

It was rather irritating and painful – _he made a promise that he would remain a detective and stay. But then he broke it shortly after-wards, deserting Unit One. _

Subconsciously, she didn't discard that letter, because it held some sort of sentimental value. She had it carelessly kept inside her desk drawer, crumpling it in the process, which she almost forgot. How she carelessly tossed it inside reflected how angry she was.

She slumped on her seat.

_What if she met him again?_

He was a, say, a very close colleague, or just a close colleague. She couldn't just eliminate him as per the System's orders and his request. She detested them. However, being an obedient citizen she was, sadly, she had to.

Two compelling ideas gave her a terrible headache.

She had to kill him...

She couldn't...

She had to...

She couldn't...

_She really had to, or else..._

_But she couldn't..._

Then, they met days after he wrote the letter – _the promise written on water_. It was when they found out that Makishima once again murdered a government official in order to execute his plan to overthrow the system. They saw each other shortly after-wards, fighting against the sociopath.

_Funny it was, huh? Writing a farewell letter, and then meeting each other so soon? _

Since she couldn't kill him in accordance to the System's orders, she made a deal with them, trying to save him from their harsh judgement.

"_As long as you bring Shogo Makishima back alive."_

"_Fine."_

She even held the revolver instead of Kougami. She gave him her Dominator which was locked in Paralyzer mode as per her request to the System, so that Makishima would be brought back with no problems.

But then, her efforts were _wasted_. Kougami was branded a latent criminal to be eliminated. He killed Makishima, shooting a bullet through his skull, effectively ending his life. He escaped the country after finally finishing off the person he strongly detested because of his crimes. He escaped, avoiding the System.

After the case finally ended, the compelling thoughts once again invaded her mind. If only Kougami didn't shoot the bullet, she would've been fine up to this day. But _no_. She was having this terrible headache she had before again.

She didn't trust her Hue-scan results. She retained her Powder Blue Hue, but her mind felt otherwise. If she were to be the scanner, she would've read it Cerulean Blue.

What if they ever met again, which was _possibly impossible,_ because he was trying to avoid every single street scanners in the country? But still, what _if_? What if he returned to do something important?

To eliminate or not to eliminate...

To kill or not to kill...

To save him from Sibyl's judgement or not...

She inhaled deeply, attempting to calm herself. She stood up.

"Ah, Inspector Tsunemori-san? Where are you going?"

"I'll just go to the rest-room..." she uttered the lie.

With that, she walked out of the office. Mika Shimotsuki, the newly-appointed Inspector since the day before yesterday, nodded in understanding and returned to her business.

Tsunemori, going against what she said earlier to Shimotsuki, went instead towards the MWPSB building's glass balcony, leaning against it, letting the gentle blowing air calm her.

"_You should have listened to me, Kougami-san..._" she mumbled. She crumpled the letter again, which was still on her hand.

Huh. She thought that she had long relaxed and recovered. But then, after seeing this letter... But then, surprisingly, crumpling it made her a little better, if not much.

She heard footsteps nearing her. Next thing she knew, her former senior, Nobuchika Ginoza was by her side, leaning against the balcony as well. She let out a slight scoff.

"You didn't know about this letter, right, Ginoza-san?" she asked.

"Haven't seen it yet," was his reply. "From who, if I may ask?"

She smiled a bitter smile. "Kougami-san. Two months ago."

Ginoza's dark jade eyes widened a little as he heard her answers to his question. He had no right now to utter comments that would surely irritate Tsunemori, unlike when he was still an Inspector, so he stayed still and kept his mouth shut.

"I'll let you read this, Ginoza-san. You'll understand why I became like this when he first deserted our Division."

She handed him the wrinkled paper. He nodded and read the contents. After a good few minutes of silence, he sighed and muttered something like, "_that idiot..._".

"Just when you said to look at the future rather than the past, huh?" Tsunemori started. "It can't be helped."

Like Tsunemori, Ginoza was once stranded in the sea of incertitude with her, though only for a short, but intense, time. So he understood her. There was this time that Chief Joshu Kasei hacked his Dominator without his knowledge, and urged him to eliminate Kougami.

_'I couldn't... He's my colleague. And he was my only friend back then... But-'_

_Tsunemori cut him off and paralyzed Kougami instead._

Right now, they're both stranded in the sea of uncertainty. Even Ginoza's mind ran like Tsunemori's regarding the order of the System. They were all commanded to eliminate him if they ever found him.

Ginoza sighed, handing the letter back to the Inspector. "I am in a state similar to yours, and I understand you. I know I have to kill him, if we ever see him again. But I know couldn't. I don't know what to do, if that time comes."

Tsunemori sighed as well. "Maybe we'll find out what we could do together, huh?"

Ginoza smiled slightly. "Perhaps. It could be difficult, right?"

"It could be harder if I or you're alone. Having a companion who understands you would help in easing you up while stuck in this horrible sea of incertitude, I guess," she returned, folding up the letter in her hands. She smiled a little.

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_AruuYuda-ShoriKyuyu: Haha. I really should polish making endings. Reviews, please?_


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